Hinge system for refrigerated cabinets



Aug. 19, 1952 p ,v N v -r 2,607,411

' HINGE SYSTEM FOR REFRIGERATED CABINETS Filed June 12, 1948 17200402" .2 4! flan 0/8?! Patented Aug. 19, 1952 HINGE SYSTEM F I CABINETS OR REFRIGERATED-- Paul D.,Van Vliet, Chicago, ll L a ssi gnor to I Carbonic Corporation, Chicago, lll., a. corptn-a-v tion of Delaware- Application June 12, 1948,'Serial No. 32,627

This invention relates to an improvement in the hinging of two'lids or covers which may be used to closea horizontal opening in a cabinet.

One purpose is to provide a continuous closure for the full length of the hinge-to prevent drip through the hinge to the goods stored below.

Another purpose is to provide an easily separable hinge system to facilitate cleaning.

Another purpose is to provide an easily replaceable and cheap hinge member, with a low maintenance cost.

Another purpose is to provide a hinge and means for attaching it to lids or covers, without requiring tools for installation.

Another purpose is to provide a hinge and means for attaching it to lids or covers, which has no cracks or crevices which are not accessible for cleaning by a brush, and without the use of tools.

other purposes will appear from time to time in' the course of the specification and claim.

I illustrate my invention more or less diagrammatically in the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a vertical section through two lids connected by a hinge structure embodying one application of my invention.

Figure 2 is a partial plan view illustrating the hinge structure;

'Figure 3 is a transverse section on a somewhat enlarged scale, illustrating a hinge retainer;

Figure- 4 is a side elevation of the structure shown in Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a transverse section through the flexible hinge member itself;

Figure 6 is a partial vertical section, similar to Figure 1, but illustrating a variant form. of the invention; 7

Figure 7 is a section similar to Figure 6, illustrating another form of the invention; and i Figure 8 is a vertical transverse section on an enlarged scale, illustrating one of the hinge retainers shown in Figure '7.

Like parts are indicated by like symbols throughout the specification and drawings.

Referring to the drawings, I generally indicates the cabinet wall. 2 generally indicates two lids or covers for closing any suitable opening surrounded by the cabinet wall I. The lids may be of any suitable material, but in Figures 1 and following I illustrate them as formed of an upper metal wall 3 and a lower metal wall 4, the two walls being connected by a side wall 5. The space between may be filled by any suitable insulation, such as a cork fill 6. The edges of the lids which engage the upper end of the cabinet wall i may be suitably formed as at 1 to provide an overlying flange.

My invention relates primarily to the hinging together of the two lids. In Figure 5 I illustrate a hinge 20 of rubber or a suitable rubber substitute, such as a flexible plastic which is formed 1 Claim. (01. fed-231) .with a relatively thin web 2| in which flexing occurs when the-hinge is used. c The hinge member terminates in enlargements or bulbous edge portions 22 which are preferably of the general shape of the references in the below described hinge retainers, into which the bulbous edge portions may be threaded lengthwise. I employ a layer of fabric 2 la to limit the stretch of'the hinge member without reducing its flexibility.

The hinge retainers on the doors are, in Figures 1 to 4, illustrated as. metal channels 10, which may be welded or otherwise secured to the top lid walls '3, asat H, and which have longitudinal openings l2 or sufiicient widthlto permit the extension therethrough of the webportion 2| of the hinge. The bulbous portions 1 22 are confined within the retainers, and thus provide lateral retention of the hinge. It will be understood that the retainers II] are preferably open at each end. Thus the hinge element 20 may be longitudinally slipped into the retainers, and also readily removed. When the hinge 20 is removed, then the interior of the retainers is readily accessible for cleaning. The hinge 20 also serves as a rooi or closure over the space or joint between the two lids 2, preventing any leakage or spillage or dripping into the interior. As a matter of convenience, as shown in Figure 2, the hinge member 20 may be slightly longer than the retainers l0. However,- it is of substantially the same widthas the aperture closed by the lids.

Whereas, in Figm'es 1 and 3, I have illustrated the retainers III as roughly rectangular, it will be understood that they may be formed in any suitable shape, so long as an enlarged hinge edge portion may be slipped endwlse into them. It may-be convenient, and advantageous, to have the bulbous'edge enlargement 22 conform generally to the inner faces of the retainer H), but this is not strictly necessary, and I do not wish to be so limited.

Referring to Figure 6. I illustrate a variant form of my invention in which two lids 30 may be formed of a suitable plastic. their upper walls 31 having molded therein retainers in which integral portions 32, 33 define a longitudinal channel 34, which is open at the ends, and has a restricted longitudinal opening 35 through which the web 2| of theflexible hinge member may pass. The bulbous enlargement 22 is received in the channel, as shown in- Figure 6. The operation of the hinge is precisely the same as in the structure of Figure 1, but this application is practical, where molded or preformed lids are used.

Figures 7 and 8 illustrate a further modification in which hinge retainer inserts, generally tainer recesses are generallyC-shape; In'the that an open-ended channel, with a longitudinally extending, but restricted, side opening, is provided. In Figure 7, however the retainer 4| is partially embedded in the moldedlids 40. The 'f relatively thin walls 42 and 43 define anopening 44 of the proper contour =to-fr'eceive and retain the bulbous edge 22 of the hinge member 20. A thin flange 45 extends downward from the head portion thus formed, and serves to anchor the retainer into the lid body 40. It may have perforations 46 to permit the material on both sides to bond through the holeslior strength. A key 41 maybe iorme'd in the .lowerziface .of the head to' anchorlthe :head securel'y'into the lid body- It Will be"v noted that. all of ithelthree forms areidenti'cal "in thatithey use. a flexible hinge continuous -from'lidto lid-without abreak across the width Of? the cabinet-opening," and in that theyiallprovid' means .to retain. the bulbous edges ofi-the'hinge tothe lids.. Thefhinge may be separated fromieaichxlid. by withdrawing the hinge edges. lengthwise of. the recess. It will berealized .that, whereas, I have described and illustratedapractical andoperative device,nev'ertheless many changes may be made the size-i, shape, j numbe'r and disposition of parts without zdepartingfrom thespirit of my invention-KI therefore. wish my description and drawings to; be takenas .in abroad, sense illustrative o1:.diagrammatia'irather than as limiting meto myprecise showing. I

The .useand: operation orthe invention are asfollowsg:

Thecurrentrhinging systems used in refrigerated cabinets do not meet all requirements. The New.;.York,Board1 of, Health, for example, has

promulgated rulings "which call for a change in thei currentsystem of hinging, because present hinges ,require, a; separate -iastening of the hinge to the,;,lid;body, where metal hinges are used, or

require; the use of separate hinge retainer strips, where a rubbenhingeis used. Thesejastenings provide cracks orgsp aces tor the accumulation f. ic c am-se id iw im. i t me. be me rancid. ttens ladBnn nbQ h, whi lw l s a, eqn tl unsanitary iorrieq lra ee- .Am g sis ap q edi th hine le s ra it t metaloi the' lid,gproviding that the hinge pin .is removable, and large enoughto permit running a brush' through the; curl of the hinge. This makes it practically impossible, in areas where the New York Board of Health rule, or an equiva- I lent rule, applies, to use 'a metal hinge which is of good appearance or is practicable in use.

The New York Board. of Health also rules that the hinge system must be so constructed that water spilled .liqu idslying on the top of. the .lid maynot .drop through the hinge when the lid is liftediQO, or is flipped over 180. The usual metal hinge does not meet this requiremena'but thecontinuous rubberhinge does form a tight roof maths-jeep betweenlids, providing .it is suitably and continuously; anchored to each lid.

7 .flherpresent invention provides a rubber hinge whichQwhen applied to a common type of refrigerated cabinet, maybe some 11 inhS long by abe t nint idetn a be a xi at 1% inch thiclgthrough a central width-of perhaps inch, thisxbeing the portion indicated at 20 in Figure 5. Its edges are enlarged, as at 22, for lengthwise insertion in the recess of the hinge retainer IQ. Allforms of the invention operate substantially alike. Taking the form of Figures "1 and 18* as an"example,"iitliefretaining'or holding members ll -m'ay" be of extruded aluminum or other suitable material, and may be molded intewhich there is no space or crack permitting the access ot'sub'stances which will decay or besep ate,

come rancid.- The 'exposed part of the members 4| may, in transverse section, be roughly shaped like the letter C, with a small opening Ma. and a large recess 44 behind the opening. This recess is formed to receive the portion 22 of the hinge, which may be inserted lengthwise of the member 4L, This hinge has the advantage. that. the lids or covers 130. may: be separated 1 readily, without tools, for. easy cleaning .of the hinge. structure itself, and, also for cleaninguof the recesses. Thisstructure; meets the. requirements of cleanliness;periormssubstantially as the conventional hinge, andis not unduly expensive. It-permits an easy replacementof atorn hinge, and has the advantage oi older;rubbe rhinges, :in that no water on the top of the lidcan pass down through the gap between adjacent lids to contaminate food below.

,Whereas an extruded metalmember, molded into the lid, has been suggested, it will be understood that any suitable material may be used, and in anysuitable form. In Figure 6 is illustrateda variant form, in which, in place of a v tal hinge retainer, a recess in the plastic materialot the lid itself is shown. The pm -Wallfii'ctthe lid,3il is formed with a re- .cess 39 oijsuitablev shape to receive the enlargement 2 2;of;;t-he;hingestrip. .When this form is used no separate hingeretainer is. necessary. However, as a matter .c-i general practice, I prefer the form of Figures 1, to flying which an all-metal lid used, with retainer channels I0 welded or otherwise'secured to the top lid walls 3. The retainerprovides the necessary form of apertureor'channel, and will take afiexible hinge EG'identicaITyJitHthe hinge elements used wit'h'the other forms. 1 l

I Iclaim: v s g r I A'hingestructure. providing a readily re'movable-hinge connecting a'fpair of closure lids fo'r .an"acc;ess opening .in the top of a refrigerated .food'cabi'net'and' wherein the lids requirefre quent separation for cleaning, comprising apair of horizontally-aligned lids supported ..when in closurejposition in side-by side relation and'havingfa'djac'ent parallel side edges in substantially abutting relation; an elongated hollow' hinge holder, extending across each of the top surfaces of 'saidlids along theadjacent side edges thereof, said hingegholders providing substantially enclosed recesses extending in generally parallel alignment with .eachother and having restricted lengthwise slots inthe upper inner'edges thereof and spacedabove the lids providing access to said recesses, .bothsaid 'recesses'ja'nd said slots being open at the sameends topermit the insertion and withdrawal'ot ahinge member, and an elongated fiexible'hinge member composed of a material having the characteristics of rubber and providing acentral flexing portion extending between said hinge holders and having its edge portions extending through said slots and into said recesses, said edge portions being enlarged andsubstantially filling -said recesses to prevent said edges from being pulled through said slots, the

central fie'xing portion of saidhinge member being bowed outward-ly'and therebyspaced from the top surfaces of said lids to facilitate the insertion and removal of said hinge member by grasping an end of the central flexing portion, the enlarged edge portionsof said hinge member being freely slidable within said recesses when the lids are in closed position and said hinge is in its unfiexed condition and frictionally engaging the walls of said recesses when said lids are opened, whereby said hinge member can be easily removed through the open ends of said slots and recesses for the purpose of separating said lids to facilitate cleaning thereof, while said lids are prevented from shifting laterally with respect to each other when opened by the frictional engagement of the enlarged end portions with the walls of the recesses.

PAUL D. VAN VLIET.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENT Number Eichner May 16, 1950 

